Kiss Me
by Emetelai
Summary: “Scandalous thoughts about you?” Danny laughed, hysterical at the idea. “Oh Sam! You don’t have anything to worry about.”
1. Crush Revisited

**Kiss Me**

Chapter 1: Crush Revisited

Danny takes Sam on a date to prepare for a date with Paulina and unexpected feelings arise.

_Disclaimer: Besides using the characters created by Butch Hartman for Danny Phantom, my major plot ideas are from the TV series 'Friends' including several dialogues that are taken directly from the series and altered appropriately. So I give ultimate and full credit there to Marta Kauffman, Kevin S. Bright and David Crane, executive producers of the show. I try to keep them as in character as I can, with all due respect to Mr. Hartman, but really. I'm human and they'll vary._

_According to many sites with episode recap notes, Danny's identity is revealed in the upcoming 2nd season finale, "Reality Trip" to everyone. Which appears tomorrow, woo-hoo! Even if this is incorrect, let's assume it has occurred. I make reference as if it has occurred in the past._

* * *

"Can you believe Tucker got today off?" Sam laughed, pushing the rest of her books into her locker. "My parents would never do that. They believe in a formal education."

Danny laughed as he opened his own locker,

"Well, it's the end of the day and—"

"Hel-LO Danny!"

Sam cringed as the heavily accented girl with, in her opinion, way too much make-up, pushed Danny's locker closed to catch him off guard and then ran a quick finger down his shirt as she leaned in,

"Oooh. Have you been working out?"

"Um…..yeah. Yeah, I guess you could put it that way." Danny gave a great smile and blushed.

"Puh-lease," Sam rolled her eyes. If Danny was ripped somewhere beneath his oversized shirts, it was only because of his ghost powers and maybe his prowess at video games. Danny would never set foot in a gym.

She inserted herself between the two after looking at the clock and milked up a sweet voice,

"We have to be somewhere at the moment, _Paulina._ Danny will be back tomorrow. You can play with him then."

She grabbed Danny's arm and pulled him forward. Danny turned back in shock to Paulina, who clasped her hands together and waved, giggling. Blushing, he waved back. He spun around to Sam and yanked his hand out of her grasp.

"Ouch Sam! That hurts! And you didn't have to be so rude to her."

Sam stopped and turned around, eyes slightly narrowed,

"You _do realize_ that she's only hitting on you because she now knows you're Danny Phantom. She'd never have given you the time of day otherwise."

"Still…." Danny rubbed his hands and a glossy look appeared on his face as he remembered her smell, "…..she's something, isn't she?"

"Yeah. A piece of crap. Now come on. Tucker's waiting for us and I can't wait to see the look on his face…."

* * *

"Ahh!" Tucker cried gleefully, "I've had the best day ever! I shot a two par at the golf course, got an updated PDA from Skulk and Lurk and mom and dad gave me tickets to the technology convention taking place next week!"

"Well, it's going to get even better," Sam grinned. She looked over at Danny, who nodded. A light ring appeared around his waist and around the ground below him. Transforming, he fell lightly through the ground below as if he was sinking into water.

"Huh?" Tucker asked.

"Wait for it," Sam crossed her arms, "By the way, you owe us big after this."

Danny popped up again through the floor, but this time he was holding a huge package.

"It's not new," Danny started. "We got it at a sale and it's deteriorated a little bit, but it definitely works…."

"And we'll be coming over to play with it," Sam pointed out.

"I love it! It's huge!" Tucker shouted. "Let's open it; OPEN IT!"

He ripped apart the paper and stared.

"It's a Pac-man machine," Sam explained quickly, "Do you like it?"

"Like it!" Tears shone in Tuckers eyes, "I love it! I practically spent my entire childhood at the arcades."

"Don't you still spend weekends there?" Danny raised an eyebrow, "You know--with me?"

"This is like, my second favorite game! Thanks guys!" Tucker hugged them and pressed the start button.

"Really? What was your first?" Sam asked.

"Well I don't really remember the name of it," Tucker said carefully.

"What'd it do?" Danny asked.

"You put a quarter in and pull some handles and well, you'd win a candy bar or something."

"A vending machine?" Sam asked slowly. Danny laughed.

"Hey! Don't feel bad for me!" Tucker crossed his arms. "I won every time!"

* * *

"You are so lucky," Sam told Tucker as they climbed the steps to Casper High. "My mother would have gotten me a dress for my birthday. And no. Not just any dress. _Floral prints._"

Tucker and Danny laughed.

A group of people had gathered at the top of the stairs around the doorframe.

"Have they finally closed school down?" Tucker asked hopefully.

"Fat chance," Sam frowned, "Probably another highly chaperoned, moral entrenched dance to entice high society and please the hormonal crowds."

"It _is!_" Danny grabbed quickly for a trampled flyer on the ground, "Three weeks from now."

"What!" Tucker waved his arms frustratingly. "That's so far ahead!"

"Maybe they wanted to give us enough notice," said Sam. "You know—in case we wanted to skip town."

"Oh please. Dances are fun, Sam," Tucker grinned. His eyes widened immediately as Star passed, quickly stepping in her way. He gave a low bow.

"Mademoiselle. Would you like to join me, Sir Tuck, to the extravagant Fall Ball?"

Star snorted and pulled his hat over his face,

"As IF! Geekazoid."

Dash and Kwan laughed as Tucker danced around trying to pull the hat off his face, scowling in frustration. Sam turned to Danny and noticed that he was staring dazedly at Valerie, who was currently reading the flyer for the first time. Then she turned and saw Paulina staring at _him._ She ripped Tuckers hat off and sighed.

* * *

"Where did Tucker go?" Sam asked, stepping through the doors and realizing, once again, that he was nowhere near her and Danny.

"Oh DANNY!" Paulina came running up to the two, whipping her hair behind her shoulders.

"Quick!" Sam panicked. "Do you think she saw us or can we still run away?"

"Oh chill Sam," Danny turned and grinned at Paulina.

"Oh Danny!" she breathed, pushing her hips forward and lowering her eyes seductively, "Did you hear about the dance?"

"Yeah…." Danny said slowly.

"Oh my gosh," Sam rolled her eyes and whispered off to the side.

Paulina gave her a little glare,

"Excuse me. But I believe this is a _private_ conversation."

"I was just leaving," Sam growled, "See you in class Danny."

"Bye!" Danny waved without taking his face away from Paulina's.

Paulina grinned,

"Have you asked anyone to go yet?"

"Umm……no," Danny said, his mind immediately jumping to Valerie, "No. Not yet."

"Well, I'll have you know….I _am_ currently available." Paulina gave him a wink before sauntering away. Danny blinked.

* * *

"_You_ have a _date _to the _dance_….._already?_" Sam's mouth dropped open as Tucker told her before class started, "_WHO! _What idiot made _that_ decision?"

"It's for me to know and--- hey! She's not an idiot." Tucker folded his arms resentfully.

The bell ring and Sam's attention was diverted,

"_Oh no_! Danny's late!"

Mr. Lancer strolled up to the classroom. As usual, he wore a scowl,

"Now that every boy and girl has had the chance to see certain papers introducing a certain social event three weeks from now, we will turn our attention to much more important and pressing….." He stopped talking however when he noticed no one was listening or even fully sitting down. He frowned.

The door opened slowly and Sam turned to see Danny looking at them with panicked eyes. Sam waved her arms quickly, motioning for him to come in while everyone else was distracted.

He quickly ran to her side, pushing himself into the desk quickly and giving a huge sigh of relief when he realized no one had seen him. Not a moment later, Mr. Lancer picked up a book and slammed it on the desk. Everyone fell silent immediately.

"Now then. If I hear one more word about this _dance_…." His eyes fell on Danny, "I will personally make sure you receive detention with me and don't get the chance to attend. Ah……Mr. _Phantom._ I see you finally graced us with your---ah, _presence_. Detention. For being tardy."

Danny gulped as Sam and Tucker turned to him with a look of "Well, see you in the afterlife!"

Dash and Kwan started laughing to themselves. Tucker, who was closest to them, could make out phrases like,

"What a phanto-nerd," and "Like father, like son…..both are two ghosts short."

Tucker glared, but it was Paulina's "innocent" elbow that silenced their laughter. His mouth dropped open in shock. An A List member hitting another A List member? It was almost unheard of.

"Where _were_ you?" Sam asked.

"With Valerie?" Danny hesitated.

"_Valerie!"_ Both Sam and Tucker shouted in surprise.

"Foley! Manson! Detention!" Mr. Lancer yelled from the front.

* * *

Authors Note: Hooray! The end of the 1st chapter. I probably could have kept going, but now I'll have somewhere to start off the next chapter with and you all can keep guessing what Danny was doing with Valerie when he's supposedly going on a date with Paulina! And WHO is Tucker dating? hehehe. 


	2. Pairing Up

**Kiss Me**

Chapter 2: Pairing Up

Danny takes Sam on a date to prepare for a date with Paulina and unexpected feelings arise.

_Disclaimer: Besides using the characters created by Butch Hartman for Danny Phantom, my major plot ideas are from the TV series 'Friends' including several dialogues that are taken directly from the series and altered appropriately. So I give ultimate and full credit there to Marta Kauffman, Kevin S. Bright and David Crane, executive producers of the show. I try to keep them as in character as I can, with all due respect to Mr. Hartman, but really. I'm human and they'll vary._

* * *

"The term 'cruel and unusual punishment' comes to mind right now," Sam frowned.

Due to Danny's lateness and her and Tuckers louder than normal vocal chords, they were now sitting in detention with Mr. Lancer, who was using a locker mirror to trim his hairy eyebrows with his feet perched atop the desk.

"Eww," Danny cringed, just watching him. "This is even more painful than watching Vlad hit on my mom."

"Quiet!" Mr. Lancer snapped from the front of the room. "You're supposed to be contemplating what life must be like following orders."

Tucker snorted.

Sam's voice lowered,

"So what were you doing talking to Valerie?"

"Yeah," said Tucker in a strange voice, "I'd like to know too. You know better than to approach her after revealing you-know-what."

"I….well, I---" Danny looked from side to side and then back at the two. "I had thought, you know…..about asking her to the dance."

"And?" Sam asked anxiously, "What did she say?"

"She didn't think it'd be appropriate for her to go with me," Danny frowned, "You know. Cause I'm the ghost boy and when we're not in school, she's trying to kill me."

Sam laughed, but quickly turned it into a cough to hide her apparent non-surprise.

"Dude, that sucks," she added.

"And it's not even that!" Danny threw up his arms and hit his head against the desk, "She's already got a date!"

"Seriously?" Tucker asked.

"YEAH! At this pace, I'll be the only one without a date before tomorrow ends."

Sam coughed loudly and pointed both her hands at herself. So as not to make it obvious.

"Well we have two weeks so you'll probably find somebody," Tucker pointed out with a smirk. "AND _Paulina's _still free…."

"Hey, that's right!" Danny grinned again, both boys still oblivious to their friend's antics.

Sam's head banged against the table in exasperation.

"Hey Sam, what's wrong with you?" Tucker asked.

* * *

"Hey Paulina!" Danny waved her down between classes the following morning.

"Yes Danny?" She switched her books to her other hand and battered her eyebrows flirtatiously.

"Have you….er, that is---" Danny spluttered, his gaze faltering as he looked at the ground, "Has anyone-----?"

_Stop staring at me like that when I want to ask you something important! _Danny screamed in his thoughts.

"Of course I will go to the dance with you!" Paulina cried happily. Then her voice dropped and she brought her face dangerously close, "After all, you are my hero….."

Danny blushed furiously,

"Yeah, well I-----"

"See you later Inviso---er, _Danny_!" She gave him a kiss on the forehead and sauntered off.

Danny waved, to nobody in particular since Paulina was gone. He was gone, lost, in the fact that Paulina had said _yes!_

He still couldn't believe that out of every girl in this school, Paulina was trying to seduce him. _Paulina!_ Then again, he did have a harder time nowadays trying to avoid the lovesick nerd taunts of crushed schoolmates. _Valerie….Valerie who?_ He thought happily.

He continued this trail of thought as he walked airily down the hallway until he bumped into someone.

"Ouch!" Sam snapped before turning around. "Why don't you watch where you're----Oh Danny! Sorry, I thought you were a jock trying to get satisfaction out of knocking into a non-existent lowlife by bragging about it to your friends."

Danny laughed,

"Nope. Sorry to disappoint you. It's just me."

Sam folded her arms,

"So have you stalked Paulina out?"

"Yeah," Danny suddenly felt embarrassed, conscientiously remembering that Sam was a girl and thinking _why am I telling her this? Why is she even asking?_ Sure made it awkward.

"….she said yes?" Sam pushed, with an unreadable expression.

"Yeah….." Danny began to smile, thinking maybe she would react positively this time.

"GREAT!" Sam snapped, opening her locker with force in his face.

Danny jumped back in surprise. _Maybe not._

"Something wrong Sam?" He asked carefully.

"The world as we know it is coming to an end!" She over-gesture with her hands. "Tucker was the first one of us to grab a date, which he fully plans on keeping a secret. You are being seduced by _Paulina_, of all people---"

"Yeah, I can't believe that myself," Danny rolled his eyes.

Sam continued as if he hadn't even spoken,

"Valerie turned you down because she would rather hunt and kill you tonight and…..you're going on a date with PAULINA!"

"You said that already."

"Whatever!"

"Don't you have a date yet?" Danny asked.

"Are you serious!" Sam asked incredulously, mouth dropping. "Me? At a mandatory hormone-raging social event? I think I'd rather die first."

"I'll take that as a no," Danny grinned, wiggling his finger at her. Then he sobered up a bit,

"The world's not ending! We're just changing, Sam. That's all. Valerie and I….well, feelings are there, but we know we're just not made for each other. And Paulina is attractive. Why would I not want to take her out? And Tucker….well, I don't know what's up with him, but he IS a guy and we do like to, well, kiss girls….."

Suddenly it got very awkward. Sam slung her backpack over her shoulder,

"Yeah, well. I like to kiss guys, but you don't see me freaking out because I'm not meeting society's standards."

"It's not like that Sam----" Danny started.

"Well? What is it like then?" She put her hands on her hips and waited.

"It's well….um…..it's like this……" Danny looked up, looked at the locker and all around him. He seemed to be at a total loss for words.

"Uh-huh." Sam's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's okay Danny. You don't need to explain anything to me. You're right."

"I am?" Danny's eyes widened in amazement, "A-about what?"

Sam's eyes closed briefly before she continued, "Things are changing. We're growing apart. You two are guys and I'm a girl. Society tells us we can't be friends without having romantic connections, right? You're a hormonal puberty driven hero boy who wants to go make out with Paulina and Tucker, though he claims to enjoy his techno-world, would rather be skirt chasing. It's all good."

"You know," Danny's eyes narrowed as he realized she was making fun of him and making light of their friendship, "Just because _we're_ changing doesn't mean you have to pull your usual ugly grim outlook on life and drag us down. Maybe you should try putting yourself out there with us instead of keeping us locked up in the forever realm of friendship."

"I LIKE the forever realm of friendship!" Sam yelled, causing a few eyes in the hallway to stare and a few freshmen to jump. "And I'll jump when I want to, okay? Jeez, Fenton, stop telling me what to do."

Danny stopped and suddenly felt his fists clench. She'd _never_ called him by his last name. Before he could boil up, he turned around and walked away, wishing he'd never answered her question.

Sam watched him leave, then slammed her locker angrily and skulked down the hallway.

* * *

"FENTON!" Dash shouted on the football field after school. "You're going to the dance with Fenton!"

"Jeez, you act like it's a monstrosity," Paulina blew on her nails as if they'd been chipped by his voice.

"It IS!" Dash cried, "That nerd-o ghost freak!"

"He is NOT a freak!" Paulina jabbed him in the chest, then big puppy eyes arose quickly, "He's Danny Phantom, my hero….!"

Kwan made a gagging noise and Star laughed.

"Really!" Paulina because indignant, "I don't see YOU fighting bad guys for my honor."

"I----I……" Dash stopped. Then—"I don't HAVE to be a ghost to beat up punks that hit on you Paulina. In fact, if you keep seeing Danny, we will just have to remove your membership from the A List!"

Star gasped and Kwan's mouth dropped. Paulina started in shock, her mouth open.

"I AM the list!" Paulina growled.

Then she switched gears,

"How dare you? I'll tell daddy! I don't want to be a member of the A List! I'll make my OWN list!" She flipped her head up and shut her eyes, refusing to let anyone talk to her other than as a princess.

Star sputtered,

"But…..but PAULINA! You can't!"

Paulina opened her eyes briefly to look at her,

"Oh, it's okay Star. I allow you to be a part of my group."

Star looked from Paulina to Dash and Kwan, who had asked her to the dance.

"But----er, but, Paulina…."

Paulina's fists clenched and her eyes narrowed, standing as high as she could go,

"Fine then! Stay with these…..these _losers!_ I'm still popular and _all_ the boys still want me. I'll make my own group. And when you are no longer popular, don't come crawling back to me!"

She spun around on her heel and marched off, before realizing that was not attractive. She turned it into a brisk saunter.

* * *

Authors Note: Yeah, Paulina would think she was the A List. I imagine Paulina's theme song to be "Milkshake" by Kelis: ""_My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and they're like, it's better than yours, dam right, it's better than yours. I can teach you, but I'd have to charge. Watch if you're smart. La la la la. Warm it up. The boys are ringing…_""Anyway. haha. Bad song, youngsters! Maybe I should give this ficcie a 'T' rating.

Review! Feed my monster…..


	3. Expectations

**Kiss Me**

Chapter 3: Expectations

"**Reality Trip" Disclaimer**- Can I say….told you so? Only, things were reversed in the end. Oh, that's okay though. I was expecting that. I knew they wouldn't keep it that way. So now I have to have a disclaimer. That's why my 2nd chapter was up fast-before the show came. This story takes place supposing everyone still remembered Danny was the "ghost boy" (no reversal of the reveal). Also I didn't expect the popular kids to react the way they did on the show-I figured everything would just kind of dull out, like most popularity does. But now you know how everyone found out his secret at least and I am saved a pitifully long and horrible flashback.

_See regular disclaimer in previous chapter_

* * *

"Oh Danny! It's simply _AWFUL!"_ Paulina ran up to the black haired boy crying. 

He turned, stunned that she was already upset this early in the morning.

"What's the matter Paulina?"

"I was kicked off the A-List and I can't hang out with the cool kids. I'll never be able to hang out after games or make insulting comments at dumb nerdy kids! I'll have to have friends like YOU!"

"It's nice to know I'm appreciated," said Danny weakly.

"No, no silly! I meant I'll have to have friends like you do! Like techno-geek friends or….girl friends that have THE awful-est taste in f_ashion_!" Paulina shrieked with fear.

"Sam doesn't have bad taste in fashion—"

Paulina glared.

"Er—nevermind," Danny laughed nervously, "Well, you can hang with us for a while, I guess."

"Really!" Paulina grinned merrily, "Thank you so much!" She kissed him on the cheeks.

"No problem!" Danny grinned, his eyes half closing, stars and hearts threatening to bounce around his face.

"And Valerie is a nobody too---oooh! I really _won't_ have to hang out with the goth girl!" Paulina had spotted Danny's arch-enemy.

"Oh _Valerie!" _She waved before running off to settle in to her "new" position at Casper High.

* * *

Sam ignored Danny all day and she scowled when Tucker tried to cheer her up. 

"Oh c'mon!" Tucker looked from Sam to Danny, who was still less than pleased with Sam. He thought she'd been selfish and immature and apparently she thought the same of him, "One of you needs to talk! I can't live with this pressure!"

Sam crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

Danny's face softened a little bit,

"I….I guess I was a little harsh."

Sam's hands dropped and she looked across Tucker at him,

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was insensitive to your feelings."

"Yeah, well. I guess I was jealous that you both already had dates. Truce?" She reached across Tucker and Danny took her hand happily, both shaking on it.

"Hooray!" Tucker wiped away a tear as their last class ended. "We're all friends again. Now let's celebrate with shakes at the Nasty Burger!"

"And a double veggie veggie burger," Sam reminded him.

"And a double veggie veggie burger!" Tucker corrected himself as they walked out of the classroom.

* * *

"Danny! Danny! Wait up!" Paulina shouted in the hallways. 

About to step over the threshold of the school doors, Danny stopped and spun around.

"Is this going to happen a lot? It's annoying already." Sam asked Tucker.

"Probably," Tucker shrugged.

"Where are you going?" Paulina batted her eyelashes in Danny's face.

"Er…the Nasty Burger! Want to come?" Danny smiled.

Behind him, both Tucker and Sam were vehemently shaking their heads, eyes wide and hands out.

"I'd love to!" Paulina cried.

Sam's eyes narrowed,

"I've lost my appetite."

"—but first I have to go pick up my perfectly smooth dress from the dry cleaners!" Here she leaned in close to Danny again. "You know….the one for the dance."

Danny gulped. _He could feel her breath on his skin._

"Aww look! Paulina has to hit on the phanto-turd. What's the matter, Polly? Where are your other boy toys?" Star, Dash and Kwan came up to the group, all looking quite smug.

"For your information," Paulina put her hands on her hips, "I have a hero boyfriend—"

"_Boyfriend!"_ Danny, Tucker and Sam shouted in response.

"Dude, way to go!" Tucker gave Danny a high five while Sam scowled.

"----and I hang out with Valerie, who is so much more cooler than you Star," Paulina finished with a smirk.

"Fenturd's not your boyfriend!" Dash laughed.

"Yes he is!" Paulina cried indignantly, embracing Danny. Danny choked but at the look on Paulina's face, he gave two thumbs up and smiled very cheekily under her arms.

"We're not talking about dance dates either," Star raised an eyebrow.

"I know! We are _so_ dating!" Paulina cried, then smirked. "In fact, he's asked me out on a date."

"I have?" Danny asked at the same time Tucker and Sam asked, "He has?"

"Yes!" Paulina let go of Danny's shoulders and placed a huge kiss on his cheek, "He's taking me out next Friday!"

"I am!" Danny asked. Paulina jabbed him with her elbow, "I mean---I am!"

"Really?" At this Star was a little baffled.

"Yeah, they're totally together!" Tucker helped out.

"Eww. Loser love," Dash pulled a face.

"It's better than no love at all!" Paulina stuck her tongue out at him.

Kwan and Dash started walking away when Star turned around and quickly shouted,

"And Valerie _is_ still a loser!"

Once outside, Paulina pushed Danny away from her, even though he still had a slightly dazed look on his face,

"Thank you so much! You saved me from total embarrassment! Now we can go on a date and I can show them just how cool you really are!"

"Um----sure," said Danny. "But why _next_ Friday?"

"Because this Friday I am going to Hawaii!" Paulina clapped her hands together joyfully.

"Oh. My. Goodness." Sam looked at her watch. "Look at the time. Isn't it time for you to go pick up your dress?"

"You're right!" Paulina put her hands on her face, "Oh, I can't be late or they'll charge even more to Daddy's card!"

"Better hurry then," Sam fakely smiled.

"Meet you at the Nasty Burger soon?" Paulina asked Danny happily.

"Sure!"

* * *

"A DATE with Paulina!" Danny held his head in his hands. 

"What's wrong?" Sam sat next to him with her tofu sandwich, "You're going with her to the dance—why is that any different?"

"I don't know…somehow I hadn't thought about _what_ to do on the date." Danny frowned, "I was just excited that I was going with her."

Sam rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like "boys".

"Well, what did you do with Valerie?" Tucker asked, looking at the girl who was now working behind the counter at the Nasty Burger.

"Nothing. We just….went everywhere together. We never went on an official date."

"Not to mention absolutely nothing occurred as a result," Sam added.

"Hey!" Danny defended himself, "We were totally into each other."

"Sure…." Sam grinned.

"How hard can it be?" Tucker shrugged. "It _is_ Paulina after all. Not to mention she's totally into you. You could do no wrong."

Sam suddenly laughed.

"Yeah right. Do you know how many people that woman has dumped just because they spilled water on her shirt? And she was really into all them too."

"You're not helping," Danny glared.

"Sorry," Sam took a sip of her drink. "For one, I would not take her here. Or to Skulk and Lurk. I wouldn't take her on a romantic cheap date either. Miss Princess probably wants a highly expensive date."

"There goes my allowance for the next month then," added Danny.

Sam stopped.

"Danny, if you don't want to take Paulina out, then don't. It sounds like it's all rather a big chore than something you want to do."

"Are you kidding me!" Danny cried. "Of course I want to take Paulina out! Who doesn't! She's just a little….high maintenance. And I want this to go perfect!"

"You know…." Tucker added thoughtfully, "Sam's been on an official date. _And_ she got some action too!"

"If you're talking about Gregor, I will smash your face in," Sam glared.

"That's right!" Danny grinned, "And you seem to know all about what someone like Paulina would want!"

"Because I'm a girl," said Sam.

"Because you have experience!" Tucker grinned. Sam did not like the twinkle behind his eyes.

Tucker continued,

"Danny, you should take Sam out!"

"_WHAT!"_ Both Danny and Sam shouted. Sam started choking on the tofu sub she'd been eating. Danny quickly wrapped his arms around her and pushed hard against her stomach. The piece flew out of her mouth and hit Tucker in the glasses.

"No, wait! Listen to me!" Tucker wiped his glasses off annoyingly, "It's perfect! Paulina will be gone this Friday-you can go then. Danny can work off his nerves by pretending Sam is Paulina and Sam can show Danny what to do and what not to do."

"Yeah, that's right…." Sam grinned mischievously in Danny's face, suddenly liking the power she wielded.

Danny gulped at both Sam and Tuckers expressions,

"I don't want to go on another date! I'm already stressed out enough as it is with _one_ date!"

"So don't think of me as a date," Sam shrugged, "I'm helping you 'wield the steering wheel'. Besides, we do tons of stuff together without Tucker. What makes this different?"

"Because it's a fake date! That's _way_ different."

"We've had fake-out make-out's before too. Don't you think that's ten times worse than a fake date?" Sam pointed out.

"How is a fake-out make-out _worse_ than a fake date?" Danny asked, then he quickly blushed at what he was suggesting. Sam also turned a light shade of pink.

"Oh DANNY!" Paulina waved from the front door of the Nasty Burger.

Sam turned around quickly and persuaded,

"It's for _Paulina_…."

"Danny!" Tucker pushed, looking anxious.

"All right. I'll do it!" Danny gave in quickly.

Paulina joined them shortly. Sam excused herself to go to the bathroom, but before she left, she whispered in Danny's ear,

"Pick me up at 7, okay?"

Danny felt a little shiver run through his side and immediately laughed. Paulina looked at him weirdly,

"What did she say?"

"Nothing," Danny responded quickly. "It just….tickled."

He trailed off, strangely hesitant.

Tucker looked at him weirdly.

"I cannot believe Star would betray me like that," Paulina folded her arms as her shake arrived. She was obviously still stuck on her dejectable position in the high school society chain.

Danny wrapped an arm around her and said very awkwardly,

"Um….it's okay. You have us, after all!"

Paulina gave him a strange look,

"….yeah."

Sam joined them again, this time sitting next to Tucker. She watched Valerie steal a glance at their table. She thought she was watching Danny and Paulina interact. It gave Sam a guilty feeling of triumph. But why?

"I wonder who Valerie's taking to the ball?" she asked out loud, breaking the awkward silence. "Has she said anything to you Paulina?"

"Of course!" Paulina grinned, then frowned confusedly, "But I thought that---"

"Oh look! Didn't that double double cheeseburger combo used to be $ 4.25? But now it's $ 3.19! They must be cutting back prices!" Tucker pointed at the menu sign.

Sam, Paulina and Danny frowned.

"…..anyway," Danny said and raised an eyebrow.

"Like I was saying," Paulina smirked at Tucker, "She said that as soon as she read the flyer-----"

"Does Dash have a date to the dance?"

"Tucker!" Sam shouted, "Stop interrupting!"

"Because, really, I bet he and Valerie would be great together since they're both----"

"But isn't she going with _you_!" Paulina asked innocently, pointing at Tucker.

Danny and Sam whipped around in shock as Tucker shed a deep crimson red around his cheeks. He muttered,

"Er….."

* * *

Author's Note: Paulina Fenton…..shudders 

I totally hate Paulina, but she's fun to write with. Do you think I should go more detailed? I will when Danny and Sam start having their interactions. I figured you guys didn't care about details between Danny and Paulina….am I right?

_Thanks so much to my reviewers: SBSPFreak1297, Spirit and Soul 3, Mr. Average, Galateagirl, Indigo Bluu, bluejolteon (You figured out Tuckers date before you even read the 2nd chapter-cool! I was really impressed…), Save Danny69, DxSfluffluver4ever, kpandron, Lykogal7503, Knowledge in the Hollow Noggin, fakeout-makeout (I added even more fluff between Danny and Sam than I planned to in this chapter for your sake...go me), KittyKiChi, catgirlversion3.0otakufan, Rae-elfin-warrior, HORSELUVER 101 and Panic! I'm here._


	4. Anticipation

**Kiss Me**

Chapter 4: Anticipation

_Disclaimer: Besides using the characters created by Butch Hartman for Danny Phantom, my major plot ideas are from the TV series 'Friends' including several dialogues that are taken directly from the series and altered appropriately. So I give ultimate and full credit there to Marta Kauffman, Kevin S. Bright and David Crane, executive producers of the show. _

* * *

"Valerie! VALERIE!" Danny shouted at Tucker, "Are you serious!"

"Dude, you're spitting on me," Tucker frowned. "And….heck yes!"

It was after school and the two boys were in Tuckers room, playing on Tuckers new pacman machine. Or rather….Tucker was playing and Danny was waiting for his turn.

"Geez….did you not get the memo that I was still trying to get over her?" Danny ran a hand through his hair.

"I did, man. But I didn't want to wait another year for you to get her out of your mind. I need a life too."

"Yeah, I know," said a frustrated Danny. "It's just….unexpected. That's all."

"Personally, I think you have your hands full trying to wrestle this whole Paulina and Sam thing and you shouldn't worry about what happens between me and Valerie."

"Whoa! There's no Sam thing!" said Danny quickly. "Paulina. Just Paulina. Sam is just a practice date, remember?"

"Yeah, whatever," Tucker smirked.

"Hey, don't start a new game! I said I was next!" Danny tried to push Tucker aside and Tucker immediately slouched down and played dead.

"No fair! I can't move a dead weight!" Danny folded his arms. Then—

"But I can overshadow you---!"

"Don't you dare!" Tucker lifted his finger warningly. "Besides, you're just mad cause you suck at this game."

"I don't suck!" Danny protested, "It sucks…….you suck."

"Oh I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you over all the winning," Tucker grinned.

* * *

It was now Thursday and only one day awaited before Danny's "pretend" date with Sam. Paulina was leaving for Hawaii the following day, so she was clinging to Danny, much to Sam's disgust and Danny's delight.

At the end of the day, Danny walked Paulina home while Tucker decided to head over to the Nasty Burger to spend some more time with Valerie. Sam trudged out the doors to Casper High, looking forward to spending a quality evening playing video games and listening to hard core music.

It was fall, so the leaves were changing colors and albeit she would never admit it out loud, it was very pretty outside.

Only one thing was wrong. No, a couple of things.

And that was the fact that Dash Baxter was standing underneath a tree, trying to look as inauspicious as he could.

And he was alone. And looking at her.

Almost everything was wrong with this picture. Sam frowned and turned around to see if there was anyone else behind her. Then she turned back around, pointed at herself and frowned,

"Me?"

Dash rolled his eyes and yelled finally,

"Yes, you! Get over here."

She walked up to him cautiously.

"You're Fenton's friend right?" He asked nervously, barely even looking at her face. She followed his eyes to the school entrance. He was obviously afraid someone would see them.

"It's _Sam._ But yeah. Why are you talking to me? Isn't your image going to be ruined now?"

"Not really," his eyes snapped back to her face. "You see, now that Fenton's dating Paulina, he's popular. And since you are friends with Fenton that makes you popular. But don't tell _Paulina_ that she's technically still popular."

"Oh you can count on it," Sam rolled her eyes. "What do you want anyway? And hurry. I don't like talking to you."

"As if I'm enjoying this!" Dash stuck his tongue out in disgust, "But I've run into a problem."

"Really?" Sam raised an eyebrow, "That's new, all right."

"I don't have a date to the dance. All the popular girls are taken. I normally went with Paulina. And well….I need to have a date. I can't just show up alone. That would be ultra-damaging to my reputation. So---I mean, I guess, that is, I will allow you to come with me."

Sam stared at him for a few minutes. She searched his eyes, hoping to see him suddenly laugh and make some cruel joke, but he looked back into her eyes, wide with anticipation and she froze up.

"You're….._serious?_"

"Well…..yeah."

Sam suddenly laughed. She laughed hard. _Oh, I cannot believe my rotten luck…_

"Are you kidding me?" she gasped. "I'd rather stab my eye with a knife than go to the dance with you."

"But you don't have a date either, so we need each other!"

"Yeah right!" snorted Sam. "I don't need to go to any dance! And you act like you're bestowing me a favor-'allow me'!"

"I AM!" Dash yelled, "Don't you know who you're talking to? Look, I'll give you five more minutes to say yes before I leave you in the dark."

"Forget it. I'm turning this offer down now!" Sam swung on her booty heel and marched off. _The nerve of him!_

* * *

The next day was Friday. Danny was nervous all day, much to his confusion. _It's just Sam, man. Get a hold of yourself. You're only nervous cause it's a date. A date. That word sends shivers up anyone's spine. _

Paulina had left the day before. She had kissed him on the cheek before leaving. Danny went home and straight up to his room in a daze, leaving his family pondering and his friends wondering where the heck he was.

Now he was in English wondering how tonight's 'fake date' was going to go while listening to Sam talk quietly next to him as Mr. Lancer graded papers in front.

"Danny? Danny!" Sam hissed.

"Huh?" Danny looked up. "Oh, I'm sorry Sam. What were you saying?"

Sam sighed,

"Look Danny. The first thing and the most important thing you'll have to do next week---and tonight---is _listen_ to the girl. Not admire how beautiful she is or wonder what she tastes like."

"Oh c'mon!" Danny flicked his pencil back and forth in his hand. "It's Paulina after all. She doesn't exactly say the most intelligent things."

"Yeah, there's only one thing you can think about when you're with Paulina," Tucker pointed out. "You gotta keep that in mind tonight Sam when you're pretending to be the queen bee."

"I am not going to dumb down and dress up to act like a snotty bimbo so Danny can carry on thinking scandalous thoughts," Sam glared and folded her arms.

"Scandalous thoughts about you?" Danny laughed, hysterical at the idea. "Oh Sam! You don't have anything to worry about."

_Could I ever think of Sam that way! _Danny thought, letting his curiosity rise as his laughs subsided and his stomach relaxed. _I can't even comprehend thinking about it right now. See? _He thought happily. _You were just nervous earlier because of the word 'date' and all that it implied. Nothing more._

"I was making reference to Paulina," Sam hissed, with quite a hostile tone. She seemed just a little offended that he'd laughed so quickly.

"Quiet!" Mr. Lancer yelled at the class room. He let his gaze run across the students, whose heads were now glued to their desk. Danny dared to look up and Mr. Lancer let his gaze rest on him for a few moments before returning to the stack of papers at his desk. It was as if he was almost waiting, daring Danny to do something stupid.

The trio waited for a few minutes, then Sam whispered quietly in a faraway voice,

"Dash asked me to the dance yesterday."

_That_ was unexpected.

"Are you serious!" Tucker asked in disbelief, staring at her.

"You didn't say yes, did you?" Danny whispered fiercely. "Cause if you did, I'm gonna give you hell. You were just telling me the other day how crazy it was that I was going with Paulina and now Tucks going with Valerie and----"

"Chill." Sam's eyes narrowed, "I did not say no. And I said it was crazy, not forbidden. You yourself told me that maybe I should thinking about jumping out of my comfort zone."

"Yeah, I didn't mean with Dash at your side," Danny rolled his eyes as if that was obvious.

"I _hate_ Dash and I thought you guys would understand and sympathize," Sam choked.

"…..sorry," Danny replied quietly after a few awkward seconds. "I didn't mean to jump on you."

"Yeah Sam," Tucker added. "I'm just glad you didn't accept the date. Dash would've treated you like dirt."

"I know. He only wanted to use me so that he could have _a_ date to the dance. What a jerk." Sam rolled her eyes.

"So….who _are_ you going with then?" Danny asked curiously.

"I'm not going," Sam shrugged, "I don't care though. Why should I? It's just a stupid school dance."

Something in her voice hinted of desperation and persuasion. Her voice trailed off and Danny pondered if she really did want to go and was too afraid to admit it.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Before they split ways outside on the sidewalk encompassing Casper High, Tucker looked both Danny and Sam in the eyes and said very seriously,

"I want details tomorrow, okay?"

"Got it."

Tucker walked off and Danny turned to Sam. Suddenly, it was already very awkward. Well, for him at least. If it was awkward for Sam, she was doing a good job hiding it.

"Seven, okay?" she confirmed to him. "It'll be fun, Danny, don't worry," she added at the look of nervousness on his face.

"I'm not worried!" Danny said quickly. "I-I'm thinking about Paulina."

"Of course you are," said Sam with a sigh.

Danny smiled, hugged her lightly and turned to walk away when he heard Sam call behind him,

"And don't you dare try and phase through my room when you come pick me up!"

_Wouldn't think of it, _he grinned.

* * *

Authors Note: Um……bad news. I've been banned from SO……you might not get the next chapter. Either at all or at least for a while. I go to college in August and we'll see then. It's a miracle I'm able to be putting this one up while my mom is gone.

_Thanks kudos to the following wonderful reviewers: Salamander, strange organized chaos, Indigo Bluu, fakeout-makeout, Bubble Phantom, flamingoesrock, xwhitexhouses, catgirlversion3.0otakufan, Knowledge in the Hollow Noggin, FrizzandStarfireBFFS, and bluejolteon!_

_And ALSO thank you to the people that read this story anonymously-I've had over 1,000 hits!_


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